State of Tennessee - Real Estate Commission - License Requirements and AlternatE Procedures

The 1973 Tennessee Real Estate Brokers Act, Rules, and Regulations, along with the Tennessee Timeshare Act, govern whether or not a candidate will be issued a license.

Successful completion of the examination does not guarantee the issuance of any license.

On the examination day candidates must answer a series of qualifying questions, listed below.

A "yes" answer to any of questions 1 through 5 may decrease a candidate’s ability to become licensed in the state of Tennessee.

After candidates have completed the pre-licensing requirements, the commission will review the information provided and make a decision on their qualifications.

QUALIFYING QUESTIONS

Do you now hold or have you ever held a real estate or timeshare license in Tennessee or any other state? If you hold or have held a license in another state(s), you must obtain a license certification from each state in which you are or were licensed. This application will not be processed until the certification(s) is received.
Have you ever been refused a license or had a license revoked, suspended, reprimanded, or fined by any federal, state, or local government? (Do not include motor vehicle license.) If you voluntarily surrendered a license at a time that disciplinary action was pending against you or you were under investigation by a licensing body, governmental agency or professional organization you must provide information regarding the license surrender.
Have you ever been refused or had a real estate or timeshare salesperson license revoked, suspended, reprimanded, or fined?
Have you ever had a complaint filed against you with any regulatory agency or with any court?
Have you ever pled guilty, pled nolo contendere, or been convicted of any criminal offense? (Do not include traffic violations.)
- If you answer "yes" to question 5, the Commission requires you to submit a certified copy of your conviction record in addition to an affidavit providing details of each charge.
- You may petition the Commission prior to taking or completing pre-license education and/or the licensing examination by submitting the "Application for Decision Regarding Prior Criminal Conviction(s) and/or Disciplinary Sanctions(s)" which can be downloaded by Clicking Here. This form along with all requested documentation will then be reviewed by the Commission and you will be notified of their decision.
- THE TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE COMMISSION DOES NOT ALLOW ANYONE ON PAROLE OR PROBATION TO BE SCHEDULED FOR EXAMINATION UNLESS TWO (2) YEARS HAVE PASSED FROM THE DATE OF EXPIRATION OF PROBATION, CONVICTION, OR RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
Are you at least 18 years of age?

The documentation described in each case above will be required by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission at the time a candidate passes the examination and wishes to apply for a license. The information should not be sent to PSI, nor should it be brought to the examination center.

Commission rule does not allow anyone on parole or probation to be scheduled for an examination. Candidates must be off parole or probation for a minimum of two (2) years. Candidates who violate this policy will not be licensed and will not be entitled to a refund of the examination fee.

AFFILIATE BROKER CANDIDATES

Affiliate broker candidates must complete sixty (60) hours of real estate education in real estate principles/fundamentals before they take the examination. Proof that the education described above has been completed will be forwarded by the school where the education was completed to PSI. You may not register for the examination until the school has provided that information to PSI. The school will also provide you a certificate or letter of course completion that you must submit to TREC with your application for licensure. Affiliate brokers licensed after 12/31/04 must have completed the 30-hour "Course for New Affiliates" prior to their license being issued and a letter or certificate of completion of the "Course for New Affiliates" must also be submitted with the license application.

BROKER CANDIDATES

To be eligible for the examination, broker candidates must have held an ACTIVE license that meets one of these criteria:

Twenty-four (24) months actively licensed, if licensed as an affiliate broker on or before May 12, 1988
Thirty-six (36) months actively licensed, if licensed as an affiliate broker after May 12, 1988
Twenty-four (24) months actively licensed, if the candidate has a baccalaureate degree with a major in real estate.

In addition to experience, broker candidates must have successfully completed one hundred twenty (120) classroom hours of approved real estate education, thirty (30) hours of which must be an "Office/Broker Management" course taken at a school approved by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.

Broker candidates must submit the completed Broker Examination Application to the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. Commission approval is necessary before the broker candidate may make an examination appointment.

After completing a review of education and experience documentation, the Tennessee Real Estate Commission will inform candidates of eligibility for examination.

The approval process takes approximately four (4) weeks to complete. Candidates may make an examination reservation after they have been approved.

POST-LICENSING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

Brokers licensed after January 1, 2001 must complete one hundred-twenty (120) additional hours of Commission approved education before the third anniversary of their broker license. Failure to comply with the post-broker education requirement will result in non-issuance of a license renewal.

Brokers licensed after January 1, 2005 must complete continuing education requirements after completing the 120- hour post license requirement.

TIMESHARE SALESPERSON CANDIDATES

Candidates must present a completed Timeshare Salesperson Candidate Pre-license Verification form at the examination center.

ACQUISITION AGENT LICENSE CANDIDATES

Candidates must contact PSI Customer Service to make an examination reservation. The application for licensure will be issued at the examination center to candidates who pass the examination.

ALTERNATE PROCEDURES FOR LICENSING

REAL ESTATE CANDIDATES CURRENTLY LICENSED IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION SEEKING A TENNESSEE LICENSE

NONRESIDENT CANDIDATES BY RECIPROCITY

The Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) has written reciprocity agreements with the following states:

Alabama
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming

If you hold an active real estate license and live in a state listed above, you may complete a Reciprocity License Application which can be downloaded by Clicking Here. You must provide with this application a "Certified License History" from all the states where you hold or have held a real estate.

Please Note: The firm and principal broker where you are affiliated must also hold an active reciprocal Tennessee real estate license. A non-resident firm application may be obtained by Clicking Here.

NONRESIDENT CANDIDATES BY LIMITED RECIPROCITY (FLORIDA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE)

You must pass the Tennessee portion of the examination for the same type of license you have in your resident state. Please Click Here (Worksheet A) to download a worksheet which will assist you in determining your requirements for seeking a Tennessee real estate license. You must send TREC this completed worksheet and a "Certified License History" from all the states where you hold or have held a real estate license. Upon review of your request, TREC will notify you of your examination requirement(s).

NONRESIDENT CANDIDATES LICENSED IN STATES WITHOUT A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT

If you hold an active real estate license and are a resident in a state not listed as having a reciprocal agreement, you may still qualify under Tennessee statute to have your real estate education, the national portion of the exam and/or your experience (if applying for a broker license) substitute for Tennessee’s education, national portion of the examination and/or experience. Please Click Here (Worksheet A) to download a worksheet which will assist you in determining your requirements for seeking a Tennessee real estate license. You must send TREC this completed worksheet and a "Certified License History" from all the states where you hold or have held a real estate license. Upon review of your request, TREC will notify you of your examination requirements to obtain a Tennessee real estate license.

Please Note: The firm and principal broker where you are affiliated must also hold an active Tennessee real estate license.

A non-resident firm application may be obtained by Clicking Here.

If you are not eligible to apply for a reciprocal license, enclosing the following documents with "Worksheet A" may expedite the evaluation of your request:

Certificates showing completion of pre-license education
Certificates showing completion of continuing education

Documents which cannot be used in the evaluation of your request are:

Certificates showing honors or awards
Certificates showing real estate or other designations
Certificates of membership in associations or organizations

RESIDENT CANDIDATES WHO ARE OR WERE LICENSED IN ANOTHER STATE

If you hold or have held a real estate license in another state and are now resident of Tennessee, you may still qualify under Tennessee statute to have your real estate education, the national portion of the exam and/or your experience (if applying for a broker license) substitute for Tennessee’s education, national portion of the examination and/or experience. Please Click Here (Worksheet A) to download a worksheet which will assist you in determining your requirements for seeking a Tennessee real estate license. You must send TREC this completed worksheet and a "Certified License History" from all the states where you hold or have held a real estate license. Upon review of your request, TREC will notify you of your examination requirements to obtain a Tennessee real estate license.

Please Note: The firm and principal broker where you are affiliated must also hold an active Tennessee real estate license.

Enclosing the following documents with "Worksheet A" may expedite the evaluation of your request:

Certificates showing completion of pre-license education
Certificates showing completion of continuing education

Documents which cannot be used in the evaluation of your request are:

Certificates showing honors or awards
Certificates showing real estate or other designations
Certificates of membership in associations or organizations

While this information is deemed correct, the laws, policies and regulations do change and such changes might not be reflected on this website.